Board Game Logos

I personally never really liked board games for most of my life until the last few years when I took a major interest in them and realized that they are a lot of fun. There are many really great ones out there that are both challenging and enjoyable, however I usually find the classic games to be the best. Its got to be hard to try to come up with games that can top monopoly, scrabble, yahtzee or clue. They are just too good, which is why they have stayed popular for such a long time.

My interest in games lead me to assess the logos and box art that is displayed so proudly on the game’s cover. It seems that most of them are simple designs such as a manipulated font or just colored text. I found it difficult to find pictures of the logos themselves, so you get to see the entire box cover for most of them, but you can get the idea.

This is actually the cover of a Nintendo DS game, but the game is based on a few of the original board games, so it was a good example of a bunch of their logos all in one. Most of these seem to be simple text with few flashy graphics, but I believe that is because high quality graphic design was not as convenient at the time when these board games were fresh and new.

The Monopoly design is very simple with just the name of the game in a red banner. Other versions of the game’s logo had the same design, but with Mr. Monopoly popping his head out of the center. This same design was later modified in which higher tech graphics were used to give Mr. Monopoly a more 3D look. A shadow was added behind his hand and he is in color. The letters themselves are also more 3 dimensional and emerge a bit from their red banner background.

The Scrabble Board game logo has gone through an update as well. The original was very formal and classy, using a lot of curly ends on the letters. The “S” and the “E” had a handwritten script look to it and the “R” only came down below the “A.” In the new version, the “R” extends below the entire rest of the word. It also lost the red scroll in the background and gained an abstract, bubbly design behind the letters. This version has a much more modern look, which may help it appeal to the current generation.

With simple capital lettering in blocks of color, the game of Life always keeps its logo, but changes backgrounds according to different themes it has taken on over time.

Candy Land has the perfect logo for its title. What better way to demonstrate a world of candy, but with lettering that is made up of peppermint sticks? It’s just a preview of the peppermint forest that you travel through while playing the game.

Blokus is quite an enjoyable game if you get a chance to play. It is one that I think every gamer should try out if they haven’t already. It is a basic strategy game, but is a lot of fun. Their logo isn’t bad either. The square design is right from the game and the four colors represent the four players.

I enjoy this game, although I think there should be an apple somewhere in that logo. The lettering and colors do seem to suit it, but with a picture of an apple missing, it just seems incomplete.

I think that board games have been pushed aside a bit with all of the newer technologies that are available, but I still find them to be great pass times. They are something to do that is social and can bring people together. A party just isn’t the same without breaking out a game of Balderdash or Apples to Apples. If you haven’t tried it yet, its a great way to get a party going.

-Nora Reed

With time, things naturally progress and the same applies to logos. A company’s logo is its visual identity, but if it has had the same design for years, a logo design can become outdated. Recreating a company logo can sometimes mean re-evaluating the values of the company and assessing the market and current situations going on in the world. A logo can go through many changes during the life of the company it represents, especially if it is a major company that has been in existence for a long time. Here are some great examples of the changing life of logos.

Paramount

Warner Brothers

MGM

Paramount, Warner Brothers and MGM are a few of the larger, more successful film studios and have been around for a long period of time. As you can see, they have also experienced many logo changes throughout their progression. Since the ability to create better graphics is always advancing, film studios, especially, need to keep up with it. Better graphics in their logo can give the impression that there are better graphics in the film and draw a bigger audience. It’s always about selling and the better you sell your company, the better you will sell your product. Sometimes its the little things that make a bigger difference.

Google

It seems that originally, Google had an exclamation point at the end of their logo, much like Yahoo!. It looks like they did away with it in 1999, which is a wise decision for them in my opinion. It is important to stand out among the competition and steer away from similar ideas. No matter who had it first, someone has to break down and give in. It looks like Google was the one to do so, but they became more successful, so it worked out for them in the end.

Motel 6

Apple

NBC

Pepsi

Pepsi has been through many identity changes over the years. For larger companies, it is easier for them to put forth the money for changing branding strategies. Pepsi has definitely kept up with its competition and its newest logo has stirred up so much controversy, that is seems to have skyrocketed them right into the spotlight.

Cadillac

BMW

Car companies also go through a lot of identity changes. BMW seems to have stayed fairly similar, but just made simple updates over the years. Nothing is wrong with that as long as the logo is still suited for the times and the nature of the business. Logo updates are one great way for a business to tell the world that they keep themselves fresh and always have new products or ideas to offer the public. Visual representation is a major way to sell your business and keeping your logo strong is just as important as selling your product.

-Nora Reed